Madrid, August 8, 2025 — The Spanish National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has published its 2024 Annual Report, outlining a year marked by high-profile enforcement actions, record market activity, and the expansion of its regulatory responsibilities — including its new role as Spain’s Digital Services Coordinator under EU law.
Record Fine, Merger Activity, and Competition Enforcement
One of the standout actions of the year was the €413.24 million fine against Booking.com, the largest ever imposed by the CNMC, for anti-competitive practices. In total, the Commission initiated 9 sanctioning proceedings and conducted 5 inspections at 14 company headquarters. It resolved 13 proceedings, and handled 89 merger notifications, eight of which were approved with commitments.
Additionally, 213 informant entries were received by the CNMC’s Economic Intelligence Unit — a 7% increase from 2023. The watchdog also kept 178 cases under review to ensure compliance with competition law.
Promoting Competition and Policy Reform
In its mission to promote competitive markets, the CNMC published 34 reports on public sector actions, including a study on packaging waste management and another on the road safety training sector. It also trained over 880 public employees in competition and procurement issues.
The CNMC’s broadband network analysis earned it recognition from the World Bank and the International Competition Network (ICN).
Expanding Oversight: Digital Services Coordinator Role
A major milestone for 2024 was the CNMC’s designation as Spain’s Digital Services Coordinator, as mandated by the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). In its first year in this role, the CNMC:
- Processed 24 complaints related to online intermediaries, referring seven to counterparts in other EU countries.
- Registered 12 platforms in the EU’s Agora database.
- Collaborated with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) on protecting minors online and improving access controls for harmful content.
Sectoral Highlights
Telecommunications
- 234 new operators registered.
- 23 disputes resolved between telecom companies.
- Fines totaling €5,040 were imposed in three sanctioning cases.
- Two wholesale markets were deregulated.
Audiovisual
- 294 complaints were received and analyzed, including over 70 involving influencers (deemed “Specially Relevant Users”).
- A fine of €308,529 was imposed on Techpump, a pornographic platform, for lacking age verification systems.
Energy
- 2,164 inspections carried out, mainly at renewable and waste-to-energy facilities.
- Approved Circular 1/2024 on grid access for electricity demand facilities.
- Electricity and gas prices dropped, averaging €63.04/MWh and €34.8/MWh respectively.
Transport and Postal
- High-speed rail travel reached a record high in Q3 2024 with 10.7 million passengers.
- Parcel delivery surged to over 1 billion shipments, generating €6 billion in revenue.
- Five fines were issued to postal operators, and new user rights guides were released.
Looking Ahead
With expanded responsibilities in the digital realm and sustained focus on market integrity, the CNMC’s 2024 report reflects both a transformative year and the increasing complexity of regulating dynamic and interconnected markets.
Full sector-by-sector highlights will be published in the coming weeks, according to the CNMC.
Source: https://blog.cnmc.es/2025/08/07/memoria-2024-el-ano-en-cifras/
